"What is Happening in Liberal Education?"

Carol T. Christ, President of Smith College, delivered this speech outlining seven critical developments in liberal education. One of the developments is "training for citizenship," and President Christ mentions the Talloires Network as an example of this movement towards increased civic engagement.

An excerpt from her speech:
"The idea that the goal of a liberal arts education trains good members of society is a classic one. Newman articulated it in The Idea of a University; I am sure that many of our founders claimed it as their purpose in endowing our colleges. Sophia Smith announced as her intention, 'to increase women’s power for good.' I think that we are seeing today a renewed focus on education for citizenship, often realized through centers for community engagement, which bring our students and faculty into neighboring communities in collaborative projects that combine learning and service. New national and international organizations evidence this development. Campus Compact, whose goal is to educate college students to become active citizens, was founded in 1985 with four members; it now has 1100. The Talloires Network, an international collective founded at Tufts University in 2005 to promote the civic roles and social responsibilities of higher education, now has over fifty members."

Read the full transcript here:
http://www.smith.edu/president/speeches/union2008.html